Aligned sentence by sentence
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I have judged it best that the arrangement of my work should follow what all commentators do: namely, that I set down the text of the mishnah through to the end of the *halakhah*, and then discuss the explanation of that *halakhah* in accordance with what it contains; then I take up a second *halakhah*, and so on to the end of the Mishnah. Every *halakhah* that is self-evident I shall simply write out without offering any comment upon it.
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And know that wherever the House of Shammai and the House of Hillel disagree, the law follows the House of Hillel, except in certain known cases where the law follows the House of Shammai. In those particular cases, and only those, I shall tell you when I explain them, "the law is according to the House of Shammai."
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Likewise, every *setam* mishnah—one in which there is no dispute—is to be acted upon as it states the matter, except in anomalous cases; and in those anomalous *halakhot* I shall tell you that this *setam* is overridden and is not the [accepted] law. As for the remaining disputes, I shall not compel you to any reflection of your own, but shall tell you whose view the law follows; and even where the dispute is between an individual and the majority, I shall say "the law is according to the Sages."
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May God guide [us] toward the way of truth and keep us from its opposite, through His help, exalted is He. I have further judged it fitting to bring ten chapters before I begin the commentary itself. These—God knows—hold no great benefit for the matter we are about, yet it is good for one who desires completeness in the Mishnah to be acquainted with them.
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The first chapter concerns the number of the Sages whose names are mentioned in the Mishnah and to whom traditions are ascribed by name. The second chapter concerns the number of the Sages who are mentioned in the Mishnah on account of some incident that occurred in the lifetime of one of them, or some moral teaching he imparted, or some homily he expounded.
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The third chapter concerns what is well known of the lineages of the Sages of the Mishnah. The fourth chapter concerns which of them were contemporaries of one another. The fifth chapter concerns who among them was student and who teacher, so far as this is well known.
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The sixth chapter concerns the clarification of those of their names that are left unspecified, by our adding further identification. The seventh chapter concerns their ranks, following what the Redactor did. The eighth chapter concerns their being ascribed to places, persons, and tribes.
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The ninth chapter concerns the persons among whom dispute most often occurs. The tenth chapter concerns the classification of their traditions by their fewness or abundance.
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**The first chapter, concerning the number of the Sages whose names are mentioned in the Mishnah and to whom traditions are ascribed by name.** We have already said, at the outset of our discussion, that the Redactor of the Mishnah confined himself to the names of the individuals who transmitted from Shimon the Righteous onward, and that the whole transmission goes back to Shimon the Righteous. The number of these individuals under whose names there were recorded the body of rulings, the legal interpretations, the enactments, and the decrees throughout the whole Mishnah is ninety-one men.
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They are: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus; Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov; Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yose HaGelili; Yehoshua ben Perachya; Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya; Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha; Rabbi Yehoshua ben Beteira; Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hyrcanus; Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya; Elazar ben Yehuda of Bartota; Rabbi Elazar bar Tzadok; Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua; Rabbi Elazar Chisma; Rabbi Elazar ben Parta; Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon; Rabbi Elazar ben Piabi; Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai; Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira; Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava; Rabbi Yehuda ben Abba; Yehuda ben Tabbai; Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel; Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai; Rabbi Shimon Shezuri; Rabbi Shimon ben Nanas; Rabbi Shimon ben HaSegan; Shimon ben Shatach; Shimon HaTimni; Rabbi Shimon ben Azzai; Rabbi Shimon ben Zoma; Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar; Rabbi Shimon ben Yehuda; Rabbi Shimon ben Beteira; Shimon the brother of Azarya; Rabbi Chananya the Deputy of the Priests; Rabbi Chanina ben Antigonus; Chanina ben Chakhinai; Rabbi Chanina ben Gamliel; Rabbi Nechunya ben Elnatan of Kefar HaBavli; Rabbi Yishmael; Rabbi Nechemya; Nechemya of Beit Deli; Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri; Yochanan the High Priest; Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai; Rabbi Yochanan ben Beroka; Yochanan ben Gudgeda; Rabbi Yochanan HaSandlar; Rabbi Yochanan ben Yeshua, the father-in-law's [son] of Rabbi Akiva; Rabbi Yose; Rabbi Yose ben Meshullam; Rabbi Yose ben HaChotef Efrati; Rabbi Yose HaGelili; Yosef ben Yoezer; Yosef ben Yochanan; Rabbi Yose bar Rabbi Yehuda; Rabbi Yose HaKohen; Yose ben Choni; Rabban Gamliel; Rabban Gamliel the Elder; Dostai of Kefar Dama; Rabbi Dostai bar Rabbi Yannai; Abba Shaul; Rabbi Tarfon; Rabbi Meir; Rabbi Akiva; Rabbi Chatzpit; Rabbi Natan; Nachum the Scribe; Rabbi Meyasha; Rabbi Tzadok; Nachum the Mede; Rabbi Dosa ben Hyrcanus; Rabbi Ilai; ben Kovri; Rabbi Papyas; Rabbi Matya ben Charash; Nittai of Arbel; Shemaya; Avtalyon; Hillel; Shammai; Rabbi Zekharya ben HaKatzav; Admon; Chanan ben Avshalom; Rebbi; Yadua the Babylonian; Akavya ben Mahalalel; Rabbi Yakim of Chadid; Menachem ben Signai; Rabbi Yaakov. In listing their names we have not strung them together in the order of their times.
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**The second chapter, concerning the number of the Sages who are mentioned in the Mishnah on account of some incident that occurred in the lifetime of one of them, or some moral teaching he imparted, or some scriptural verse upon which he expounded a homily.** There occurs in the Mishnah mention of many Sages to whom no point of religious law concerning the Torah—in matter of prohibition or permission—is ascribed; they were mentioned only on account of some incident that occurred in the lifetime of one of them, or some moral teaching among the moral teachings, such as those mentioned in [tractate] Avot, so that that teaching was preserved from him; or [on account of] a homily he expounded that entails neither prohibition nor permission—and so it was recorded under his name.
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The number of individuals mentioned in one of the ways we have described, and the like of these, is thirty-seven men. They are: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi; Rabbi Elazar HaKappar; Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh; Rabbi Elazar HaModai; Yehuda ben Teima; Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel; Rabbi Shimon ben Akashya; Rabbi Shimon ben Chalafta; Chanina ben Dosa; Chananya ben Chizkiya ben Garon; Rabbi Chananya ben Teradyon; Rabbi Nechunya ben HaKanah; Yishmael ben Piabi; Yochanan ben HaChoroni; Rabbi Yose ben Yehuda of Kefar HaBavli; Rabbi Yose bar Dormaskit; Rabban Gamliel the son of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi; Rabbi Shimon of HaMitzpeh; Choni HaMe'agel; Rabbi Hyrcanus; Rabbi Yannai; Rabbi Nehorai; Antigonus of Sokho; Rabbi Chalafta of Kefar Chananya; Rabbi Elitas of Yavneh; Rabbi Yonatan; Shmuel HaKatan; ben Bag Bag; ben He He; Eliyahu Eini ben HaKof; Chanamel HaMitzri; Rabbi Shimon of Mansiya; Abba Shaul ben Botnit; Zekharya ben Kabutar; Bava ben Buta; Rabbi Yishmael the son of Rabbi Yochanan ben Beroka; Rabbi Yishmael bar Rabbi Yose. In mentioning these too we have not held to the order of their times.
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The total number, then, of the Sages mentioned in the Mishnah is 128. There are also two individuals who are mentioned [but not counted]: Elisha Acher, whom we have not counted with the pure company on account of what is well known of his affair; and Menachem the colleague of Shammai, whom likewise we have not counted, since no statement of his is set forth in the Mishnah in any way—added to what occurred in his case [that is recounted in passing].
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**The third chapter, concerning what is well known of the lineages of the Sages of the Mishnah.** Of this there is Rabban Gamliel the son of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi; and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi [was] the son of Rabban Shimon, son of Rabban Gamliel, son of Rabban Shimon, son of Rabban Gamliel the Elder, son of Rabban Shimon, son of Hillel the Nasi
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—who is Hillel the Babylonian, to whom is ascribed the group of Sages who adopted his school of thought, so that it was named the House of Hillel. This Hillel was of the sons of Shefatya ben Avital ben David. These seven Sages, then, have been shown to be of the seed of David.
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Among them [the Sages] were four who were of the assembly of converts, namely: Shemaya, Avtalyon, Rabbi Akiva, and Rabbi Meir.
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And among them were priests: Shimon the Righteous, to whom the entire transmission goes back, to confirm the word of Him, mighty and exalted, "They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your Torah to Israel" (Deut 33:10)
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; Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, who was tenth in descent from Ezra; and Shimon his uncle, who is the one known as Shimon the brother of Azarya; and Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua; and Rabbi Chananya the Deputy of the Priests; and Rabbi Shimon his son, who is the one known as Rabbi Shimon ben HaSegan; and Yishmael ben Piabi; and Yochanan the High Priest; and Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai; and Yosef ben Yoezer; and Rabbi Yose HaKohen; and Rabbi Tarfon; Eliyahu Eini ben HaKof; [and] Chanamel HaMitzri. The rest of them were Israelites, and no [particular] lineage in the matters I am recounting is well known of them.
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**The fourth chapter, concerning which of them were contemporaries of one another.** Shimon the Righteous and Rabbi Dosa ben Hyrcanus were contemporaries, and the life of Rabbi Dosa ben Hyrcanus was so long that he reached [the days of] Rabbi Akiva and the men of his generation. This is the first rank. The second rank: Antigonus of Sokho, and Rabbi Elazar ben Charsom. The third rank: Yose ben Yoezer of Tzereda, and Yose ben Yochanan of Jerusalem.
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The fourth rank: Yochanan ben Mattatya, Yehoshua ben Perachya, and Nittai of Arbel. The fifth rank: Choni HaMe'agel, Eliyahu Eini ben HaKof, Yehuda ben Tabbai, and Shimon ben Shatach. The sixth rank: Akavya ben Mahalalel, Shemaya, Avtalyon, Rabbi Meyasha, Chanan, and Admon.
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The seventh rank: Shammai, Hillel, Menachem, Yehuda ben Beteira, Rabbi Papyas, Rabbi Yochanan ben Bag Bag, Chananya ben Chizkiya ben Garon, Chananya ben HaKanah, Bava ben Buta, Rabbi Yochanan ben HaChoroni, Rabban Gamliel the Elder, and Nachum the Scribe. These seven ranks were within [the period of] the Second Temple, from its beginning to its end, and they did not witness the Destruction.
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As for the rank after these, which did witness the Destruction, it is: Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov, Rabbi Tzadok, Rabbi Elazar his son, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and his disciples, Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha the High Priest, Abba Shaul, Rabbi Elazar HaModai, Rabbi Chananya the Deputy of the Priests, Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Shimon his son, Rabbi Chanina ben Antigonus, Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, Rabbi Chananya ben Teradyon, Shmuel HaKatan, Rabbi Elazar ben Parta, Rabbi Elazar ben Dama, Chananya ben Chakhinai, and Rabbi Yehuda ben Abba.
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The second rank after the Destruction: Rabbi Tarfon, Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, Rabbi Yishmael, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha, Chananya of Ono, Shimon ben Nanas, Yochanan ben Beroka, Rabbi Yishmael his son, Rabbi Yochanan ben Gudgeda, Rabbi Elazar Chisma, and Rabbi Yehuda ben Teima.
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The third rank: Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yose, Rabbi Natan, Rabbi Yochanan HaSandlar, Rabbi Yose HaGelili, Rabbi Elazar his son, Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua, Shimon ben Azzai, Shimon ben Zoma, and Rabbi Chatzpit the Interpreter.
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The fourth rank: Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Shimon his sons, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Rabbi Elazar his son, Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar, Rabbi Yishmael bar Rabbi Yose, and Rabbi Yonatan. This rank is the last of the ranks of the Sages of the Mishnah.
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**The fifth chapter, concerning who among them was student and who teacher, so far as this is well known.** We have already set forth, at the outset of our discussion, that Rabbeinu HaKadosh, the Redactor of the Mishnah, was the student of his father, and likewise the son among his forefathers, peace be upon them, was the student of the father, [going back] to Hillel, [and] to Shimon the Righteous, as we have mentioned.
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Likewise Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai was the student of Hillel. The disciples of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai were five: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, whose renown is well known; Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya; Rabbi Yose HaKohen; Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel; and Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh. This is the company that was praised with [a share in] the World to Come, as is well known in the Talmud—they, their disciples, and their disciples' disciples.
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Rabbi Akiva was the student of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, who was his foremost teacher; and he—I mean Rabbi Akiva—had received some instruction from Rabbi Tarfon, yet [Rabbi Tarfon] was not a teacher to him but a colleague of his. Rabbi Akiva used to honor Rabbi Tarfon and would address him as "Rabbi," while Rabbi Tarfon would address Rabbi Akiva [simply] as "Akiva."
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And Rabbi Akiva once said to him, "Permit me to say before you something of what you have taught me," as is set forth in [the] Sifra. Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai were the students of Rabbi Akiva, who was their foremost teacher. Rabbi Meir had also received instruction from Rabbi Yishmael, and from him too—his neighbor. Rabbi Yehuda studied under Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, who was his foremost teacher. And whenever you find in the Mishnah "Rabbi So-and-so in the name of Rabbi So-and-so," know that he was his student, and that is why he transmitted from him. Rabbeinu HaKadosh had received instruction from Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua. Sumakhos was the student of Rabbi Meir, and he sought to study under Rabbi Yehuda after the death of Rabbi Meir, but that did not come about.
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**The sixth chapter, concerning the clarification of those of their names that are left unspecified, by our adding identification.** "Rabbi Eliezer" mentioned without qualification in the Mishnah is Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, the disciple of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. "Rabbi Yehoshua" unqualified is Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya, the disciple of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. "Rabbi Yehuda" mentioned unqualified is Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai, the one concerning whom it is said in the Talmud, without further specification, "There was an incident concerning a certain pious man"—this being his renowned designation among them.
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"Rabbi Elazar" unqualified is Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua the priest, the contemporary of Rabban Gamliel, under whom Rabbeinu HaKadosh sought to study, but his [other] disciples did not permit him to study under him save a little. "Rabbi Shimon" mentioned in the Mishnah unqualified is Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the disciple of Rabbi Akiva, whose affair with the emperor is well known. "Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon" is his son. "Ben Azzai," "ben Zoma," and "ben Nanas" are Shimon ben Azzai, Shimon ben Zoma, and Shimon ben Nanas. "Ben Beteira" is Rabbi Yehoshua ben Beteira. "Ben Bag Bag" is Rabbi Yochanan ben Bag Bag.
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"Yochanan the High Priest" is the renowned Yochanan ben Mattatya, who is mentioned in the prayers in the account of the victory over the kings of Greece. Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Natan once sought to shame Rabban Shimon, the father of Rabbeinu HaKadosh, over a matter the description of which would be lengthy, and so Rabban Shimon removed them both from his academy; and whenever a tradition would be transmitted from one of them, if it was transmitted from Rabbi Meir it was said "others say," and if it was transmitted from Rabbi Natan it was said "some say."
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As for their statement in the Mishnah, "in the name of Rabbi Yishmael a certain disciple said before Rabbi Akiva," that [disciple] is Rabbi Meir. And their phrase "those who debate before the Sages" refers to five men: Rabbi Shimon ben Azzai, Rabbi Shimon ben Zoma, Rabbi Shimon ben Nanas, Chanan, and Chananya of Ono. Rabbi Meir is also called Rabbi Nehorai—the meaning being one and the same—and his original name was Rabbi Nechemya.
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As for his term "Sages" (*chakhamim*) in the Mishnah: by "Sages" he sometimes alludes to one of the individuals whose names have already been mentioned, and sometimes he designates by it the whole body [of them]. Often it is made clear in the Talmud, where it says, "Who are the 'Sages'? Rabbi So-and-so." He does this only when he finds that many transmitters have adopted the statement of that one Sage; and since the adherents of that view are many, he calls them "Sages" even though [the view] is ascribed to a single individual.
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As for his phrase "the House of Shammai" and "the House of Hillel," he means by it the group that adopted the school of Shammai and the group that adopted the school of Hillel, since the disciples of a man are the people of his house. And "Rebbi" is Rabbeinu HaKadosh, who is Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, the sixth from Hillel the Elder, and he is the Redactor of the Mishnah. And wherever he says in the Mishnah "in truth" (*be-emet*), that is a law given to Moses at Sinai.
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As for the *setam* mishnah, it is that upon which the view of the body [of Sages] fell and their consideration was uniform, with no dispute occurring in it; or [a tradition] transmitted by the whole community from the whole community back to Moses, as we explained at the outset of our discussion; and the nearest transmitter, to whom the statement is ascribed, is Rabbi Meir. This is the meaning of their saying, "an anonymous mishnah is [the view of] Rabbi Meir." Yet some anonymous rulings are Rabbi Meir's alone and are subject to dispute, or belong to some individual other than Rabbi Meir—and the Talmud clarifies them. When we, for our part, settle the law as to whose view it follows in every *halakhah* throughout the whole Mishnah, you will find your sufficiency in this aim.
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**The seventh chapter, concerning their ranks, following what the Redactor did.** He divided the ranks of the individuals mentioned in the Mishnah—who are 128, as we have set forth—into three ranks. Whoever was in his estimation exceedingly exalted, in the very highest heaven, he named by his [bare] name, as in his saying "Hillel and Shammai" and "Shemaya and Avtalyon"—that being on account of their greatness, since no honorific can be found by which their mention might be elevated, just as the prophets are not given honorifics.
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Those who in his estimation were below this rank he designates with "Rabban," as in his saying "Rabban Gamliel" and "Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai." Those who in his estimation were below this rank he designates with "Rabbi," as in his saying "Rabbi Meir" and "Rabbi Yehuda." He also designates the people of this rank with "Abba," as in his saying "Abba Shaul." Sometimes the honorific is dropped as a liberty of style, as in his saying "Shimon the brother of Azarya" and "Elazar of Bartota."
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So the full list of those whom he named by their [bare] names by way of exaltation is these: Shimon the Righteous, Antigonus of Sokho, Yose ben Yoezer, Yose ben Yochanan, Yochanan the High Priest, Yehoshua ben Perachya, Nittai of Arbel, Choni HaMe'agel, Eliyahu Eini ben HaKof, Chanamel HaMitzri, Yehuda ben Tabbai, Shimon ben Shatach, Akavya ben Mahalalel, Shemaya, Avtalyon, Chanan, Admon, Hillel, Shammai, Nachum the Scribe, Chananya ben Chizkiya ben Garon, and Bava ben Buta.
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As for anyone you find mentioned by his [bare] name apart from these, the honorific was dropped from his name [merely] as a liberty of style. **The eighth chapter, concerning their being ascribed to places, crafts, persons, and tribes.** This whole company of transmitters the Redactor furnished with identifying tags. Some of them he ascribed to their craft, in order to identify them, as in his saying "Nachum the Scribe" and "Rabbi Shimon Shezuri." Some of them he ascribed to their town, as in his saying "of Chadid," "of Ono," and "of Bartota."
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The meaning of his saying "of Tzereda," "of Jerusalem," and the like of these places is that [the man] is the scholar of that place and its luminary—as if to say that this individual is, in truth, of the people of that place [and so] is named "man of." Some of them he identifies by the name of his father or his brother, as in his saying "Rabbi So-and-so ben So-and-so," or "Rabbi So-and-so the brother of So-and-so"—and this is frequent. Some of them he identifies by tribe, as in his saying "So-and-so HaKohen."
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**The ninth chapter, concerning the persons among whom dispute most often occurs.** As for the individuals among whom you find dispute in the Mishnah in the majority of cases, they are Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Yose; among these four you find dispute between any two of them, and also among the four of them together.
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Rabbi Elazar too you may sometimes find in dispute with each one of these four, but less than the dispute occurring among the four. Likewise Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Eliezer, and Rabbi Yehoshua: you find dispute between each one of them and the three of them together, but less than the dispute of the four mentioned above.
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You also find dispute between Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Yishmael, Rabbi Tarfon, and Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, but less than the dispute mentioned above. To them [in respect of dispute] belongs [the disputing of] the House of Shammai and the House of Hillel. And to them [also] belongs the dispute of Rabban Gamliel, or Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, or Rebbi, with each one of those mentioned above. It is among these individuals that dispute occurs in the greater part of the Mishnah, save in anomalous cases.
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**The tenth chapter, concerning the classification of their traditions by their fewness or abundance.** These Sages who transmitted the Mishnah, as we have set forth—among them are some under whose name many traditions were recorded, such as Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda; and among them are some under whose name few traditions were recorded, such as Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov, of whom they said, "The teaching of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov is a *kav* and clean"—meaning that it is little but acted upon.
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The measure of the abundance or fewness of their traditions corresponds to what we mentioned in the chapter before this regarding the abundance or fewness of their disputing. Among them are some for whom no more than a single tradition is set down in the Mishnah, whose name does not recur in any of the rulings of the religious law—and they are thirty-eight individuals. Nachum the Scribe and Rabbi Meyasha [appear] in tractate Pe'ah only, and no statement of theirs recurs in any way in another place. Chananya ben Chakhinai and Rabbi Yose ben HaChotef Efrati [appear] in Kilayim only.
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Rabbi Elazar Chisma and Rabbi Yose ben Meshullam [appear] in Terumot only. Rabbi Chatzpit [appears] in Shevi'it. Rabbi Elazar ben Yehuda of Bartota and Dostai of Kefar Dama [appear] in Orlah only. Nachum the Mede [appears] in Shabbat only. Rabbi Ilai and Rabbi Dostai bar Rabbi Yannai [appear] in Eruvin only. Rabbi Shimon ben HaSegan and ben Kovri [appear] in Shekalim only.
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Yehuda ben Tabbai, Shimon ben Shatach, Yose ben Yoezer, Yose ben Yochanan, Nittai of Arbel, and Yehoshua ben Perachya [appear] in Chagigah only. Shimon HaTimni and Nechemya of Beit Deli [appear] in Yevamot only. Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yose HaGelili and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hyrcanus [appear] in Sotah only. Yadua the Babylonian [appears] in Bava Metzia only.
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Rabbi Shimon ben Yehuda [appears] in Shevuot only. Rabbi Shimon ben Beteira, Rabbi Nechunya ben Elnatan of Kefar HaBavli, Rabbi Yose HaKohen, Rabbi Yakim of Chadid, and Menachem ben Signai [appear] in Eduyot only. Shimon the brother of Azarya and Yose ben Choni [appear] in Zevachim only. Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon [appears] in Temurah only.
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Rabbi Yaakov [appears] in Nega'im only. [And Abba Elazar ben Dulai [appears] in Mikvaot only.] Rabbi Elazar ben Piabi [appears] in tractate Tohorot only. And Rabbi Yochanan ben Yeshua, the father-in-law's [son] of Rabbi Akiva, [appears] in Yadayim only. All these enumerated individuals, then—not one of them has, in all the rulings of the Mishnah, more than a single tradition, in the tractate we have specified.
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The aim we set out to advance has now been completed for us, and we now turn to the commentary, as we undertook.